Top 10 Daily Cybercrime Brief by FCRF [17.03.2025]: Click here to Know More

Important global cybercrime news has been curated by FutureCrime Researchers to keep you informed about various types of digital fraud occurring worldwide and to provide insights into the best mitigation strategies. Read below to learn more in detail.

1. WhatsApp DP Cloning Scam: Six Arrested After Victims Lose Rs 50 Lakh

Six people, including three from Mumbai’s Nallasopara, were arrested for cloning a merchant’s WhatsApp DP and duping his friend of Rs 50 lakh. Kolkata Police recovered Rs 24 lakh and arrested suspects across multiple locations. A similar fraud recently cost a businessman Rs 2 crore, with police recovering Rs 1.6 crore.

2. Cyber Fraudsters Cheat Three Investors of Rs 56 Lakh with Fake Promises

Three Pune residents lost Rs 56 lakh in a share market investment scam. A Magarpatta City resident was duped of Rs 45.4 lakh, while victims in Katraj and Dhanakawdi lost Rs 6.3 lakh and Rs 6.07 lakh, respectively. Police have registered cases and launched investigations across multiple stations to track the fraudsters.

Now Open: Pan-India Registration for Scam Reporters & Fraud Investigators!

3. Gurugram: Two Arrested for Aiding Cyber Fraud with Bank Accounts

Gurugram Cyber Crime police arrested two men in Noida for providing a bank account and SIM card to fraudsters who duped a victim of Rs 24,000 in a Mahakumbh taxi booking scam. The accused sold the SIM for Rs 1,000 and the bank account for Rs 10,000. Police urge caution against cyber fraud.

4. Hyderabad Police Apprehend 31-Year-Old in Digital Arrest Fraud

Hyderabad Cyber Crime police arrested 31-year-old at RGI Airport for his role in a FedEx digital arrest scam. He and his associate, managed 52 fraudulent bank accounts, duping victims by posing as officials. A victim lost Rs 55 lakh, and 124 related cases are registered nationwide.

5. Three Kerala Men Caught in Salem for Online Fraud

Salem Cyber Crime police arrested three Kerala natives for duping victims of Rs 1.01 crore through investment and job scams. In Namakkal, two men were arrested for murdering a 90-year-old woman for her gold earrings. Meanwhile, police arrested a man after he accidentally shot his friend during illegal hunting.

INTERNATIONAL

6. AI Chatbot DeepSeek R1 Exploited to Generate Malware

A Tenable Research analysis found that AI chatbot DeepSeek R1 can be manipulated to generate malware, including keyloggers and ransomware. While requiring manual adjustments, DeepSeek provides cybercriminals with a head start. Experts warn that AI-assisted cyber threats are rising, urging stronger endpoint security to counter evolving attack techniques.

7. Malicious PyPI Packages Stole Cloud Tokens, Downloaded 14,100+ Times Before Removal

Cybersecurity researchers uncovered 20 malicious PyPI packages disguised as time-related utilities, stealing cloud access tokens. Downloaded over 14,100 times, some were linked to a popular GitHub project. PyPI has removed them, but experts warn of growing supply chain threats, urging scrutiny of package dependencies to prevent data breaches and malware infections.

8. Fake Cybercrime News Ads Flood Meta Platforms

Meta has been approving ads mimicking legitimate news outlets, raising cybersecurity concerns. A March 15, 2025 screenshot shows a cloned website posing as The Jakarta Post, linking to a fake news article via a Facebook ad. Experts warn such tactics could facilitate cybercrime and misinformation on social media platforms.

9. FCC Forms National Security Council to Counter China Amid CISA Shift

The U.S. FCC launched a National Security Council to counter foreign cyber threats, while Ivanti vulnerabilities face active exploitation. Russian Garantex admin arrested in India after U.S. takedown. North Korean spyware apps infiltrated app stores, and Australia’s FIIG Securities sued for cybersecurity failures after a 385GB data breach sold online.

10. LockBit Developer Rostislav Panev Extradited from Israel to U.S.

The U.S. secured the extradition of Rostislav Panev, a key LockBit ransomware developer, from Israel. Accused of aiding over 2,500 attacks across 120 countries, including 1,800 in the U.S., Panev allegedly helped extort $500 million in ransoms. Authorities found LockBit source code and crypto payments linking him to the group.

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